COLLEGE STATION - Eighth-ranked Texas A&M, owner of its highest preseason ranking since 1999, has earned plenty of headlines this month.

But for reasons off the field, not on it, as the university continues taking steps toward bolting the Big 12 for the Southeastern Conference.

So how much of a distraction has the growing SEC chatter been for the players aiming to make a dent in what's shaping up as A&M's final season in the Big 12? Senior Cyrus Gray, one of the nation's top returning running backs, vows not at all.

"We don't talk about it," said Gray, who became A&M's first 1,000-yard rusher in seven seasons last year. "It hasn't been an issue in the locker room, and nobody has addressed it."

Focused on task at hand

As for the underclassmen who actually might play in the SEC?

"The younger guys know what they want to do - they want to help us seniors go out with victories in the Big 12," Gray said. "Even if we go to the SEC, nobody cares (right now)."

What the A&M players and coaches - and their counterparts in the Big 12 - do care about right now is the league's new setup, following the departures of Nebraska to the Big Ten and Colorado to the Pac-12. A&M benefited last year from the old Big 12 championship format, as the Aggies shared a South Division title with Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.

Still, A&M coach Mike Sherman is like most of his peers regarding the new format in the 10-team league. He loves the idea of one true champion - all tri-titles aside.

"Everybody plays everybody now," Sherman said. "It's certainly not going to be watered down. There aren't going to be three Big 12 South champions this year, where everybody gets a nice little flag and trophy to put up, so recruits can see them.

"There's going to be one real champion."

Over its first 15 seasons, the Big 12 relied on two divisions of six teams and a championship game between division winners. But with the exits of Nebraska and Colorado, big changes are in store this season for the remaining 10 members. Namely, every team plays the other in the same season for the first time in league history, creating no need for a title game.

"If somebody can run the table in the Big 12, they'll probably have a great opportunity to play in the national championship game, without having to play in that extra game," Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville said.

Developments late last week, however, might make even this a one-year deal, depending on what happens with A&M's 15-year affiliation with the league. A&M on Thursday sent the Big 12 office a letter explaining the Aggies are "exploring options related to the institution's athletic conference affiliation."

An A&M insider said the letter is simply the first official, legal step in the process of A&M exiting the Big 12 for the SEC. As soon as the Big 12, as expected, severs ties with A&M, the SEC will be free to invite A&M as its 13th member. The Big 12 then could add a new 10th member and proceed under the new format next year and beyond.

It may be missed

So the Aggies, in perhaps their last season in the Big 12, wouldn't have to play in a league title game, should they be fortunate enough to be in the running for their first national title since 1939. Four teams - 1996 Nebraska, 1998 Kansas State, 2001 Texas and 2007 Missouri - all lost potential bids to play in the national championship game thanks to losses in the Big 12 championship game. Still, Tuberville said at least part of the old way of doing things will be missed come early December.

"The one thing we'll miss - not just Big 12 fans but fans across the country - is the championship game," said Tuberville, a one-time Ole Miss and Auburn coach. "I know I was an opponent of (league title games) when I was in the SEC, but once you get in that kind of game, and see the ramifications and the money and the notoriety you get, it's good for everybody involved."

'Stimulate some rivalries'

On the other hand, Tuberville and his colleagues claim they're looking forward to the new way of doing things, and Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy insists the Big 12 is new and improved under the round-robin format.

"At the end of the season, there won't be any teams that say a certain team from the North or a certain team from the South didn't play each other and didn't deserve to be in a conference championship game," Gundy said. "We all play each other, and I'm not so sure it won't help our fan base. Each team competing against each other annually will help stimulate some rivalries within our league."

Under the old format, for instance, OSU (of the South) and Missouri (of the North) would play at each other's stadiums in consecutive years but then would take the next two years off from meeting at all.

"I don't think that two-year break worked," Gundy said. "I'm excited about this (new setup). And ultimately, at the end of the season, whoever has the best record in conference play will be the conference champion. That will help our league."